Fairy's Deal
by authorgal282
Summary: She was a little girl lost in the woods. He was the kind Fairy who offered to help her. Surely one little deal couldn't hurt. For Solitaryloner's Stress Relief Contest.
1. Prologue

Okay, so here's the first part of my entry into Solitaryloner's Stress Relief contest. I hope you all enjoy it. Thanks for taking the time to read this!

* * *

Miku had always been told that she was always an imaginative child. In her younger years, she would build forts out of blankets and say that they were her castle. She would wander for hours on end through the yard pretending she was on a journey.

But nothing compared to her imaginary friend. Her dreaming for this one was so great that she had really believed he existed. She had met him one summer, when she had been staying with her grandmother. That was back when her mothe was still alive.

Her grandmother was quite well off in terms of money. She owned acres and acres of land covered in forest. Miku liked to play there quite often. Even so, for some strange reason, she would always manage to find her way out when it was time to come home, no matter how far away she had wandered from the house. Of course, at that time, she believed it was him.

Her first memory of him was also her first memory of the forest, as well as her first and only memory of being lost in the woods. She had been eight years old, then, and had come to stay with her grandmother when my mother had grown week from sickness. She always needed so much rest that Miku was only allowed to see her once a day. Having not much else to do, the little girl decided to cure her boredom another way.

Having been born and raised in the city, Miku had never witnessed such beauty as in the forest. The air smelled so much cleaner, there, the leaves more green and healthy. She loved it. Sje saw several small woodland creatures that day. Amazingly, nothing too dangerous was out and about, despite the fact that bears had been known to wander that area frequently, a fact that would have prevented her from being allowed outside, had she told anyone what she was doing. So she wandered the entire day in the forest. It was only as the sun began to set and the forest became darker that she realized that she was lost.

Miku crawled desperately through the forest as she tried to find her way back. Of course, she hadn't any idea which way would lead her there. Miku eventually tripped over a root and felt tears prickling at her eyes. She had taken so many turns and detours that she couldn't have possibly found her way out.

Or so it seemed.

"Are you alright?" the voice was gentle and kind.

Miku looked up to see a pair of bright blue eyes. The young man that they belonged to was tall and handsome. Even at this age, Miku could recognize that fact. He had golden blonde hair that she was sure would shine in the sun, were it still out. And his face held a gentle smile.

"It's okay," he said soothingly. "You can speak up, if you like."

He helped her to her feet.

"Let's start with names," he suggested. "Mine is Len. And yours?"

She smiled a bit.

"Miku."

"That's a very lovely name. Tell me, would you happen to be lost?"

She nodded.

"Mama says I shouldn't get lost in the forest at night because that's when the Fairies come out, and that if they find me, they'll take me away forever!"

Len let out a chuckle.

"That's very interesting."

He leaned down and pressed a finger to his lips in a gesture of secrecy.

"I'll tell you something," he answered. "I happen to be a fairy. But I won't take you away if that's not what you wish for."

Miku tilted her head in confusion.

"Wish?" she questioned. "Why would wishing affect it."

He allowed himself to sit on the ground and she mimicked his actions.

"We fairies appear to mortals who need a wish granted when they are near us."

"Like me?"

He nodded.

"Then I get to make a wish? Can you take me home?"

He winked.

"Just a second there!" he laughed. "Wishes are hard to grant, and therefore we need a payment of sorts."

Miku stared at him curiously.

"Payment?"

"Yes."

The little girl grew quiet.

"But I don't have any money. Grandmother says I'm not 'sponsible enough…"

The young man broke out into an all out laugh. Miku frowned and scrunched her nose in distaste. Why was he laughing at her.

"Haha! You'll have to excuse me," he said. "It's just that you humans are so very funny. You see, we don't have any need of money. After all, what would we do with it? It's just shiney metal."

She nodded. That seemed reasonable enough to her. In all honesty, it did seem rather odd that people would exchange "shiny metal" for all sorts of things.

"So what am I supposed to pay you with?" she questioned. She was quite curious, now.

Len lifted a finger to his chin in thought. Then, as if he'd just received a great epiphany, he lit up.

"What about this, Miku?" he asked. "I've been rather lonely for a while here. You see, the others like me would prefer to wander the Fairy Court instead of playing out here with me. And seeing as I've got a few years left until I'm grown, what would you say to coming here every day to keep me company? You'd have to be here by sunset each day."

Her eyes lit up. She had no friends at Grandmother's house, anyway. It would be a joy to be able to see her new aquaintance every day.

"Before you agree, you should know that we fairies tend to take our deals seriously," he explained.

His smile curved into a smirk as his eyes narrowed, giving him a rather dangerous look at the moment. For just an instant, Miku felt afraid of the boy.

"If you ever break your word, you'll be forced to repay your debt in whatever way I choose, regardless of what our original agreement was. You'll have to do or give whatever I say, and will not be able to object, even if you wanted to."

The little girl backed away from him. He seemed to be a completely different person, just now. Even in her young mind, she wondered if he had been putting on a façade the entire time. But just as soon as his new appearance appeared, it was gone in a flash, replaced by the wide grin and gentle eyes.

"Of course, as long as you keep your word, you won't have to worry about it," he continued. So what do you say?"

Miku eyed his hand as he held it out.

She needed to get out of this forest, but had no idea whether to trust him. Would she really be able to visit him every day? It didn't seem like too terrible a price, really…

"Where would I come to see you?" she questioned.

He smiled even wider.

"The forest, of course! I can't leave here during the day, or else I'll get in trouble with the queen."

She thought for a moment. He said that it would just be a visit, so she would be able to get home. And she was very lonely…

"Deal!" she agreed, placing her hand in his.

For an instant, she thought she saw a mischievous glint in his eye. Once again, it was gone as quickly as it had appeared.

"Miku, it's a pleasure doing business with you.

* * *

Miku had returned that night safe and sound, much to the relief of her grandmother and the house staff. After a good scolding, she was washed up, given a good meal, and placed warm and comfortably into bed.

In the morning, she immediately woke up, and put her play clothes back on. She quickly stuck to the kitchen and packed herself as good a lunch as she could before anyone could catch her.

Just as he did every day afterword, Len greeted her once she stepped foot past the trees. As the days continued on, Miku began to make it into a sort of ritual. She would sneak out early in the morning, then proceed into the forest to spend the day with Len. They would go all over the place. He took her swimming in the lake, and helped her climb the tallest trees in the forest. He had even kept her late so that she might witness the fairy folk dance away the night. He would tell her stories about his people, and even a few secrets, like how fairy rings would allow any fairy to reach out to her if she stepped inside, regardless of whether she was in or out of the forest, or how their food held some sort of magic over humans that would prevent them from ever leaving the Fairy Realm. Sometimes, he would take out his pan flute and play her a song. When she closed her eyes, she could imagine the story it was meant to tell. She would see magical creatures and ancient kingdoms. She could see queens and kings of old. And when she opened her eyes, Len was there smiling at her. She liked these days the most. After they'd both had their fun, she would always be lead safely out of the forest. Nobody knew where she had been all day.

Yet she continued coming. On the days that she couldn't get outside in the mornings, she would sneak out late and spend the evenings with him, always being sure to be in the forest by sunset.

And she kept her promise for two years. In the fall, they would find large piles of leaves to jump in, and in winter they would dance across the frozen lake. As spring came, he would show her the first flowers that would bloom. It was a wonderful life.

But unlike fairies, humans cannot spend their lives playing.

Miku's mother, who had been sick for a long time, passed away in the summer of the girl's tenth year. It happened in the middle of the night, and Miku had been the one to find her. The girl could never forget how peaceful her mother looked. At first, she assumed the older woman was simply sleeping. But when her mother did not awake to her calls, she realized the worst.

The entire house mourned the passing of Meiko. Of course, Miku was the one in the most pain. She was the only one who didn't realize that her mother would never get better. Everyone else had accepted that fact, and it had softened the blow. She remembered everyone looking at her with such pity in their eyes. This couldn't be right! Her mother couldn't be dead. She would get better, wouldn't she?

Being unable to bear the burden, she ran to the only place that she could think of: the forest.

As usual, Len greeted her with a smile as soon as she stepped foot inside. But as soon as he saw her tear filled eyes, he immediately put his arms around her as she fell to her knees and began to sob.

When she came back later that evening, it was past dark. The entire house was in an uproar over her disappearance. They questioned her over where she had been all day, and why her stockings were covered in mud. Miku merely stayed silent and walked back to her room.

Her grandmother watched in concern as the little girl wandered upstairs by herself. She must be terribly lonely. Perhaps she just needed something to bring joy back into her life…

* * *

It was only a few weeks later that Miku was awoken early one morning by her maid. As she blinked the sleep out of her eyes, she was quickly dressed and hurried downstairs. Her grandmother promptly handed her a coat and hat to put on before ushering her out into a carriage.

"Grandmother, where are we going?" she questioned.

The older woman smiled widely.

"I think you and I have spent too much time cooped up in that stuffy old mansion. It's time that we both had a vacation."

She gasped in surprise and her eyes quickly wandered to the forest. Only she could see the blonde boy standing there with that same frightening expression she'd seen the first day.

Of course, her grandmother assumed that her gasp was merely a statement of her joy. The older woman began to explain to her all about where they would be going, and how there would be other children there for her to play with.

* * *

Len watched as Miku was pulled away. He saw her look out the window to meet his gaze. He wasn't stupid. It was obvious that there trip was for more than just a few hours. It was likely they wouldn't be back for a very long time. Miku would be sure to avoid the forest out of fear from this point forward.

Of course, she would make a mistake eventually. The fairies could grab a mortal from anywhere in the world, provided the mortal in question stepped onto magical territory. It could take months or even years before she forgot, but he knew she would. Fairies were patient, and he could wait.

Miku had broken her promise, and once he found her, she would pay for it.


	2. Payment

Miku had not been back to her grandmother's estate in years. What had initially been a week-long trip had extended to a month. Gakupo's wife, Luka, had taken to Miku instantly. Being unable to have children of her own, she treated Miku with all of the affection and love she would have given had the girl been born of her own womb. And despite the fact that her mother could never be replaced, Miku had begun to look up to her as a second mother.

Once Grandmother Prima realized just how happy they all were after the tragedy, she decided it would be better for Miku's upbringing to have a mother and father that she could rely on. After all, Prima was getting in her years, and knew that she could not sufficiently care for Miku as her son's family could. And so she and Gakupo agreed that the little tealette would stay.

Neither Luka nor Miku could hide their joy at the news. Finally the family they both longed for would be a reality.

They spent the next eight years in happiness, and Miku grew the be a beautiful and kind, young woman. Nobody was as proud of her as her aunt and uncle, and she returned their love with her own. She had also grown quite close to her grandmother. The older woman had taken care of her for two months when her own mother could not. Miku had come a long way from the little girl who had run off into the forest every day for two years.

As to why she did so, she couldn't, for the life of her, remember. All that she had left were strange dreams of an inhumanly beautiful boy singing her lullabies as she drifted to sleep. Sometimes, on the nights when her thoughts troubled her, she would feel as though he still sang to her, his voice drifting from some place far away.

Of course, she dared not step into any wooded area. Along with the dreams of the boy came nightmares of him staring at her with cold eyes and laughing as she was dragged into darkness by unseen hands. It was irrational, and quite troublesome, but even so, she could not bring herself to escape that fear those dreams gave her.

The idea of returning to Grandmother Prima's manor also frightened her. Of course, she had no dreams to use as excuses for this. She assumed it was simply because of the bad memories it held of her mothers' death. Her memories of that place left her with a bitter aftertaste of some unpleasant memory that she could not recall.

And yet she was on her way there at this very moment. Just recently, Grandmother Prima had passed away. She passed away peacefully, in her sleep. She had no painful illness or injury, meaning she was not afraid or upset when she was dying. It was merely her time to join God in heaven, and for that, Miku was grateful. Even so, she felt a great sense of loss at the idea of her grandmother's passing. All of them did.

There was also the matter of her mansion and lands. Without someon living there, it would likely fall into ruin. Seeing as the house had been in the family for six generations, neither of the three could bear the thought of losing it. That is why they packed all of their belongings from their small home in the city and immediately moved out to the countryside.

Grandmother's funeral had been a few days earlier, and had been held at the family cemetery in town. Because of Miku's apprehension, she and Luka had returned to their house to get things settled while Gakupo stayed to take care of the household while they were away.

The site of the mansion was uncomfortable familiar for Miku as they rode down the very path that had taken her away. It just didn't make sense. When she thought of being in this place for the two years of her childhood, it was all warm and pleasant. It would make perfect sense to feel the same way when she returned. Yet she felt frightened, especially looking at the wood so very near to the house.

"This place is so beautiful, Miku!" Luka exclaimed. "We'll be surrounded by nature! No more needless hustle and bustle of the city. No more women who get nitpicky when you wear a dress more than once! It's going to be just wonderful!"

Miku nodded stiffly to her aunt. She was just trying to brighten the mood. There was no need to ruin her cheer.

She turned her gaze toward the forest and spoke softly.

"Yes. It's going to be delightful."

* * *

The house was just as she remembered, and much of the staff had not changed. They were all quite welcoming to the newcomers, most likely glad to have a distraction from her grandmother's passing. Even so, the house was just too nostalgic and she felt the need to get away as quickly as she could.

"Aunt Luka, would you like to go for a walk?" she asked. A nice stroll into town would be nice. It would get her aunt more well-acquainted with her new surroundings, at the very least, and she could get away for at least a few minutes.

"Sorry, Dear," the pink-haired woman apologized. "Your uncle and I have a lot of work to do. Why don't you go to the lake? It's just a short way along the path."

The lake in the woods? Miku shuddered at the very thought. Perhaps she could deal with being inside for just a little longer.

"No, I think I'll just go to the library."

"Alright. The house staff is unpacking your things. Be sure to thank them properly when you see them."

Miku nodded.

She took her time walking to the library, looking out the windows as she passed them. It truly was a beautiful day. Perhaps a small stroll about the grounds wouldn't hurt her.

She smiled to herself at the thought of an afternoon outside. Miku was always happiest when her hair was blowing in the wind and when sunshine warmed her face. She did her best to get outside as often as possible. She could remember going outside every day for those two years. Whether it was in the heat of summer or the bitter cold of winter, in the sunshine, or the pouring rain, she would make her way to those woods. It was a miracle she had never managed to get sick. It almost seemed as if some sort of magic protected her. Those were her most joyful days.

It was such a pity she could not remember why. All that she could recall was wandering excitedly through the yard to the tree line, and then happily returning home in the evening. What actually happened in the woods was a large blur. She knew for a fact it could not have been anything bad, for she was happy every day. It was hard to believe that she could ever forget something that had given her so much joy. It was even more difficult to know that she was afraid of the very place that had brought her happiness.

Of course, all these thoughts left Miku's mind the instant her feet left the hard stone steps to land on soft dirt and grass. A child-like joy filled her completely at that moment. Lifting her skirts to her shins, she ran around the large yard in excitement. It was glorious to be in the open air once more. She never had this sort of freedom in the city.

With a sigh, she fell on her back and just stared at the clear, blue sky. How wonderful this was. Why had she ever objected to returning to here? In this place, she wasn't expected to be one of those stuffy, fashion slaves. She could just be herself. She could just wander the forest and yard as if she were on an adventure with fairies, again!

Again?

Miku sat up and pondered on her last thought. Had she had some sort of imaginary friend in her childhood? No. That couldn't be right. Grandmother frequently spoke of Miku going on adventures with her imaginary friend, but something was wrong with that notion. Miku knew for a fact that she had no imaginary acquaintences, let alone friends. Len was much more than that, wasn't he?

Len?

Her eyes widened as the memories came flooding back of a blonde boy with clear, blue eyes. How could she ever forget Len? He was her best friend, wasn't he? And now she was back where he lived! She could see him, once more!

She immediately got to her feet and rushed toward the line of trees. She could almost picture him with that mischievous smile of his. She would, of course, greet him with an embrace. Then they could catch up on what had been happening for the past few years. He would have wondered why she stopped coming without warning.

The deal!

Miku halted just outside the line of trees, barely avoiding falling in. Len would be cross with her. She broke their deal. She could remember that dark look he held the night she had met him. He was both an angel and a devil, that one! If she went into the forest, he would make her suffer for what she had done.

Miku could recall tales he would tell her of those who broke deals with fairies. As a child, she had only thought of them as stories, and could not understand the full complexity. One man had been doomed to wander the trees forever, never being able to find his way out. Another had been granted the love of a beautiful woman, but had forever lost her and their children when the had stepped into the woods. Fairies were vengeful creatures. She needed to get away from here as fast as she could.

Miku immediately pushed herself off the ground to run. But her dress seemed to catch on a root that was in the ground. She was already in the woods?

She stood on her feet and pulled as hard as she could, not caring if the fabric ripped. He would be here soon, she had to get away.

Her heart lept with joy when it pulled away rather quickly. She would get away! Miku smiled as she made a run for it, only to trip on yet another risen root.

As she fell, a pair of strong arms caught her and lifted her off the ground in one, fluid motion. She looked up fearfully to stare into a pair of dark, blue eyes.

"Hello, Miku. It's been years."

The girl immediately screamed, causing Len to drop her in order to cover her ears. She didn't hesitate for an instant once she hit the ground. She immediately got to her feet and began running for the field. She would be safe if she could get out of this forest.

"Whoa there! Wait just a second."

In an instant, he was in front of her. He appeared so suddenly that she crashed right into him. He gave a laugh and wrapped his arms around her.

"Yes. I'm happy to see you, too!" he said with a smile. "In fact, why don't we go catch up right now? It's been so long!"

She looked up to meet his eyes once more. He smiled at her in the same friendly way he always had when she met him in the woods. What was going on?

She backed away. He frowned and gave a huff.

"So that's how you're going to treat me after years of not seeing me?" he said with mock hurt. "I've been so lonely without someone here to keep me company. I thought you might at least be a little excited."

She shook her head and held her hands near her heart in fear.

"The deal," she said. "I know that you're mad I broke it. You told me the first day that if I broke it, I would be in trouble. I know you want revenge!"

Everything was quiet for a moment as they both stared at each other. Len let out a snort, and eventually, it became a full on laugh. Soon, he was hunched over in laughter. Miku quickly made a move to run, but was interrupted as he disappeared from his location and appeared right beside her, his arm around her.

"You have it all wrong, Miku," he said, suddenly serious. "You got those few scary stories I told you mixed up with what really happens. All that happens when a deal is broken is that I get to reset the payment. Do you really think I'd be as petty as to try and hurt a girl who had no choice in leaving? I know well enough to understand that a little girl has no choice in what her guardian does. I'm not stupid, you know. Besides, I'm your friend. I would never hurt you."

He began leading her in the opposite direction of the house.

"Then what is my payment going to be?" Miku asked.

"We can worry about that later," he replied. "In the meantime, did you seriously think that I would hurt you? I'm your friend, Miku. I would never do anything to harm you."

He ushered her forward into a tree that suddenly appeared to be hollow. In what seemed like an instant, they appeared in a dining hall. There was a small party of four people sitting around and chatting. They all looked up with wide smiles as the pair entered the room.

A blue-haired man who appeared to be a few years older than the others was the first to speak.

"Oh Len, so this is your friend. Will you both be joining us for tea, today?"

A blonde girl who looked quite similar to Len scowled at him before smacking him on the back of the head.

"This is MY house, Kaito. You shouldn't go inviting other people to join us." She suddenly lost the sour look and smiled beautifully at Miku. "How nice it is to finally meet you, Miku! My brother has told me so much about you! It broke his heart when you disappeared. You both sounded like such good friends. But I'm glad to see you're back, safe and sound."

Len smiled and nodded to the girl.

"Miku, allow me to introduce you to my sister, Rin," he said, gesturing to the blonde girl. He gestured to the blue-haired man, along with a green-haired girl and silver-haired boy. "These are our friends, Kaito, Gumi, and Piko. I hope you all get along greatly."

Rin immediately handed a cup of something that smelled quite sweet.

"Please join us," she smiled. "Any friend of Len's is a friend of mine."

Len smiled reassuringly to her and gestured to what appeared to be a small bench. Overall, the house was quite comfortable. Oddly enough, it appeared not much different from what she was used to.

"Not what you expected?" Len laughed.

Miku shook her head.

"I never expected a fairy home to be so… homey."

Rin smiled.

"We enjoy our comforts, the same as anybody else," Kaito explained. "You'll find that fairy life isn't all that different from what you're used to."

Rin looked at the full cup in Miku's hands.

"Go ahead!" Rin urged. "Drink up! You look parched."

Miku looked at her glass in surprise. She did feel rather thirsty. She lifted the cup to her lips, but stopped when she remembered something.

"Ah, that's right!" she thought aloud. "There's still the matter of my price. I feel really bad for breaking my promise. I'd like to know what I need so that I can pay you back."

Len sighed.

"We'll get to that in a minute. In the meantime, let's catch up. It has been eight years, after all."

She nodded.

"Drink up!" Rin said again.

Miku nodded. It would be rather rude to not drink what her host had given her. With a smile, she took a sip.

"Come here!" Rin urged. "I'll get you something to eat. You look really hungry!"

Miku was about to protest when her stomach let out a loud growl. With red cheeks, she wordlessly followed where Rin took her.

"So, you're a fairy, too then?" Miku asked.

Rin giggled.

"Yep! Just like my brother."

Miku's face turned even more red. That was a dumb question.

"You're all really nice," she observed. "You've just met me, and you're already treating me like a friend."

Rin shrugged as she pulled a plate out of the cupboard and began filling it with food.

"Len's taken a liking to you. To be honest, we like humans a lot. It's just that we're limited to our forests, and the few times that humans wander in, they never stay for very long. We live much longer than humans do, so it seems like they just stick around for an instant before they're gone. Whenever we find humans, they fascinate us. We just can't help but like them."

"It still doesn't change the fact that you're all so nice," she objected. "I haven't seen Len for years. I could have become a really horrible person, but you didn't wait for that. You just welcomed me in, too. Len is especially nice. I actually thought he would be mad at me."

Rin passed her the plate and gave a soft smile. Miku happily began eating.

"We only appear to certain types of people," she explained. "They have to have an open mind that is willing to see us, as well as a pure heart. You know, they say that once a fairy finds himself a human like that, he falls instantly in love."

Miku's face once again turned Red.

"I-I'm sure it's just a rumour," she objected. "A-after all. I was just a little girl when I met Len."

Rin just laughed and pushed Miku back in the room.

"Len, I think it's time that you told her what her payment is going to be," the blonde girl said with a smile.

Her payment? Rin knew? She looked around the room at all the others. They all had expectant looks on their faces. So they all knew? She turned her gaze to meet Len's.

"Len?" Miku questioned.

"You're payment," Len explained. "It's nothing bad. I know you didn't break your promise on purpose. So instead of punishing you, I thought of a way that nobody will be able to take you away, again."

Miku's eyes began shining in surprise. Len was just as she remembered. She had no idea why she had feared him for so long. He was her friend He would never ask too much of her.

"Nobody can separate us if you become my wife."

Her face paled. Immediately, the other four fairies began cheering. Rin even began throwing confetti on her.

"M-marriage?" Miku questioned. "But this is too sudden. I-I'm barely even old enough."

Len gave her a wide grin.

"But you are old enough!" he cheered. "I thought for years about what I would do if you came back, and this is what I decided."

"Isn't it wonderful?" Rin cheered. "You're going to be my sister."

Suddenly it all made sense: Len's willingness to forgive her so easily, the kindness of the fairies toward her. It had all been because they thought she was becoming part of the family. But this just didn't make sense. He couldn't honestly expect her to be okay with this.

"I can't."

In an instant, every face in the room darkened. The other four suddenly changed from warm and happy to cold and unforgiving. Even so, Len's was the most terrifying. He held the same, cold look in his eye that he had on the first day she had met him. Unlike the others, he held a smirk on my face.

"Miku, you realize that if you don't pay back your debt, I'm going to have to take back the entire deal?" He stepped closer to her as she took a step back. "You don't think that you just happened to get lost in the woods, do you? This forest is filled with many magical creatures, including quite a few that like to torture children by making them lost in the woods. Do you understand what that means?"

She shook her head.

"If Len hadn't come along, they would have played with you over and over, stretching your life into centuries," Rin continued. "He did more than just point you in the right direction, Miku. He saved you from an eternity in the forest."

"That was the deal you made, Miku," Kaito continued. "If you back out of it, you're going to be trapped in the forest for an eternity."

Miku shook her head.

"But I thought you said you would never hurt me. Being tortured for the rest of my life sounds a lot like hurting me."

Len shook his head.

"I'll keep my word," he agreed. "So I won't give you back to the pixies. But I just have one question for you, Miku."

He appeared behind her and whispered in her ear.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you that eating fairy food keeps you from escaping them?"

She froze.

He gave a rather wicked sounding laugh.

"So what'll it be, Miku? Being lost for eternity, or marriage to someone who actually cares about you?"

She didn't have a choice, did she? She frowned and spoke bitterly.

"I suppose this makes you my fiancée."

* * *

Okay. That has to be one of the longest chapters I have ever written, but I really like how it came out. Sorry if the scene in Rin's house came out a little hokey at first, but it was all to set up the ending. A bit of explanation here if you don't know a lot about fairy mythology: If you're ever captured by fairies, you're not supposed to eat their food. If you do, you can't get away from them, ever. I have added a bit into the story, like the idea of what makes a person able to see fairies and a few other things, but some of it is from myths that I've heard about them over my very long (pfft) 19 years.

Also, I wanted to clarify (though I think I'm fortunate enough that people havn't gotten this impression) Len's type of fairy isn't the type that go around with Tinkerbelle in her recent movies. These are more along the lines of the darker, more mischeivous legends of fairies from Celtic mythology. There are many of these tales that tell of humans being abducted by fairies for various reasons, including to make them nursemaids or spouses. It's very interesting (in a scary sort of way) and I recommend researching it if it interests you.

I hope you don't get jerked around too much by Len and his mood swings. What I'm aiming for is that he is normally kind and gentle, but that when angered or challenged, his inner self comes out and he can seem downright evil.

Thanks to all of the wonderful people who have reviewed this story. You really encouraged me to continue, and I am very grateful for that! I hope you continue to enjoy this. Thank you so much!


	3. Reasons

Miku had never spent a night in the woods, before. It was much different from sleeping in her nice, warm bed. It was also the first time in years that she hadn't said good night to Aunt Luka and Uncle Gakupo. She wondered briefly if they were worried about her? Aunt Luka's health already wasn't very good to begin with. Would the shock make her bedridden? Uncle Gakupo had just lost his mother. He had nobody else left. What would become of him? Would Len at least let them visit every once in a while?

She shivered and wrapped the blanket around herself much tighter. It was quite warm. Rin had made sure of her health and comfort before leaving her alone. Despite the behavior of her and the rest of the fairies, she seemed to understand that Miku was upset.

Of course, she didn't understand enough to let the girl go.

"Don't be mad at Len," she had said before leaving. "He just didn't know how else to keep you from being taken away. You'll both get along wonderfully. I just know it."

She seemed kind enough, but Miku could tell that the fairies were not used to thinking in human terms. Nobody else seemed to realize that she had a family away from here.

How could she ever get used to this? There had to be some way to get her free from his grasp. Surely there was a way she could see her home, again.

She was happy to see Len, again. He had been her friend. She had been so eager to see him, every day, even when there was the prospect of spending time with other children her age. There was no one that knew her better, and no one that made her feel more safe and happy.

She sighed. Len was quite clever. There was no way she could trick him into letting her go. With a sigh, she pulled the blanket over her head. These thoughts were getting her nowhere. Perhaps she was just dreaming. Perhaps, when she awoke, Aunt Luka would be waiting with breakfast in bed, as had become their tradition on Sunday mornings before church. Then she would dress and help Uncle Gakupo greet the horses, because he always preferred to be the one to drive them. And after the service, they would be sure to send an extra prayer to thank God for each other, because it was truly a miracle that they were all so happy together.

A tear slid down her cheek as sleep finally claimed her mind.

* * *

Miku was awoken the next morning by the sunlight shining on her face. She smiled and gave a stretch as she did every morning. Slowly she opened her eyes, only to be faced with an unfamiliar room and an unfamiliar feeling.

Her smile soon melted away as she remembered all that had occurred the previous day. There would be no Sunday routine for her today.

"So you're awake?" Rin asked as she happily entered the room. "Wonderful morning, isn't it?"

The girl continued opening the curtains of the small guest room.

"Len is busy today, so we can spend the day getting to know each other!" the blonde continued. "Isn't that just wonderful?"

This caught Miku's attention.

"D-do you think we could go for a stroll?" she questioned. "I-it's been so long since I've seen the forest, and I didn't get much of a chance to, yesterday. You know. With all of the excitement."

Rin smiled and gleefully clapped her hands.

"Why that's simply a lovely idea!" She grabbed the other girl's hands and helped her up. "In fact, let's go, now! It's such a perfect day to get outside!"

Rin immediately pulled her along through the house and out the door. Miku looked around for an instant in surprise. They were walking out of a small tree. It was almost as if they had stepped through a magic door. Then again, she supposed that it was.

As soon as she gained back her senses, her mind immediately went to work. As a child, she had quite a knack for hiding from others. She only needed to get away from Rin, and she could be on her way back home. If Len was busy, as Rin said, she would have no trouble at all. After all, Rin knew nothing of her prowess at evasion. But for the time being, she needed to pretend that she was perfectly happy.

"Perhaps we should start with the lake," she suggested. "I know it was always quite lovely in the early spring.

Rin released her hands and smiled.

"Perfectly lovely!" she agreed.

"So, why don't you tell me a bit about yourself," Miku suggested. "Tell me about what you like, or how fairies live. I'm quite interested, actually."

"Well, we live underground," Rin explained. "Sometimes we disguise the entrances to our dwellings by having trees grown around them, so they are not as easy to find. Of course, my house is a bit different…"

Miku slowed her steps as Rin went on, spying for anything to hide behind. Rin only served to make this task easier as she payed no attention when Miku quietly slipped away.

The tealette swiftly ducked behind a tree. It didn't appear that the blonde would even look behind her. She really did enjoy talking…

After she had given Rin enough time to get sufficiently far enough away, Miku immediately took off into a run. She had to get out of there as soon as possible! Rin would likely discover her disappearance at any moment.

She ran through the trees and jumped over the roots as fast as her feet could carry her. Stopping was not an option, not even if her lungs began to burn and her feet started to ache. She knew this forest by heart, now. Not even pixies could mislead her.

"Miku!" she heard Rin's voice shout.

Fortunately, it appeared to be far enough away that Rin hadn't found her. Yet.

She could see the light breaking through the trees. She didn't need to come out at the manor. She just needed to leave and the fairies wouldn't be able to reach her. She was almost there.

And in an instant, she felt herself trip over a root that she was positive hadn't been there before. Before she could hit the ground, she was lifted into a pair of arms.

"If you were so excited to see me, then you should have just called my name. After all, I could never resist your voice."

Miku froze. The voice that had once brought her such joy now had her frozen in fear.

She turned her gaze to meet a pair of bright blue eyes. Len had a smile upon his lips, but his eyes were like ice. She couldn't make words form on her lips.

"Having a nice walk, Miku?" he hissed.

"Len!" another, more feminine voice called out. It appeared that Rin had found her, as well.

"Miku, where, exactly did you go? Did you just leave me? Were you trying to escape?" The fairy girl exuded an aura of anger. If possible, Miku felt more afraid of Rin then she was of the fairy girl's brother.

Apparently noticing the fear his sister was causing, Len stepped in.

"I got my business done, early," he lied. "Naturally, I'd want to see my bride to be."

Rin's demeanor immediately became cheerful again.

"Oh dear! I'm so very sorry to have interrupted you two lovebirds!" she giggled. "I'm so very happy that you can spend some time together! I'll just leave you to it!"

In the blink of an eye, the girl was gone.

Miku let out a sigh of relief, only to be reminded of Len's presence when he gazed at her. Why, exactly, had he lied to Rin, just now? Was he trying to help her?

"You could have gotten yourself into great trouble, just now," he explained. "My sister has the worst temper in the forest. If you ever cross her, she won't forget it, even after she's had her revenge."

He gently set her back down. Then he took her hand and spun her around. They were by the lake, now. Miku stepped back out of instinct, and Len's eyes briefly flashed with an emotion that she couldn't recognize.

"You really shouldn't run off like that," he lectured. "You could've gotten yourself hurt, or lost."

It was quite ironic that he was the one hurting her the most.

"You knew, didn't you?"

He looked at her strangely.

"What?"

"You knew!" she repeated. "That deal we made all that time ago was impossible to keep! I know I stayed away for years, but you would have had the same reaction if I had just been a second late, wouldn't you? If I had gotten sick, or fainted, then you would have still trapped me here, forever!"

Len didn't respond.

"I kept that promise for two years, and was literally forced to break it, yet you wouldn't have cared. I was a _child_, Len! You knew I couldn't possibly tell that it was a trap! You knew I was terrified and desperate, yet you took advantage of it! You planned this part of the deal from the very beginning! And you knew I wouldn't accept, because who in their right mind makes a deal that would never let them see their family again? This was what you wanted from the very beginning, wasn't it?"

Len sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Yes," he admitted. "A child that is lost wants to be able to go home, but agreeing to marry me would force you to never leave the forest. Even a child could translate that sort of logic."

Miku froze. She hadn't expected him to admit it so readily. Had he so easily manipulated her? How could she have ever been stupid enough to come back? And how could he have been as heartless as to take advantage of her? She had only been a child.

She had only been a child.

She stepped back once more and covered her mouth in shock. She raised her gaze to look back at him.

Immediately, his expression turned to sadness, and Miku tried to ignore the small stab of pain that went through her heart.

"Why do you look at me with disgust?" he asked softly. "I love you, Miku."

"I was just a child!" she whimpered. "I have every right to be disgusted!"

He backed off slightly.

"I am no monster," he stated firmly. "My intention was to bring you in as a child and wait until you grew up to marry you. Fairies can see on the long term, Miku. I fell in love with who you were to become, not who you were at that moment, so do not look at me as if I am some sort of monster."

"You still tricked me!"

He stepped forward slowly.

"I had to," he explained. "You would have never agreed, otherwise. Fairies live much longer than humans. But mortals that live with us begin to live as long as we do. If I had just left you, I would have seen you grow old and die before my very eyes."

He took one more step and gently took hold of her hands and slowly brought them down.

"I couldn't just sit and watch you die. Those two years of your childhood may have seemed long to you, but they were just an instant to me. I can't just sit and watch you fade away."

Slowly, he closed the gap between their faces and gently pressed his lips to hers. She felt her heart flutter. When he pulled back, her cheeks were decorated with a light shade of pink. He smiled softly and brought his hands up to hold her face.

"I love you."

And he kissed her on the top of her head before pulling her in to a gentle embrace.

Hesitantly, Miku lifted her arms and wrapped them around him. His words had just been so earnest. This was her Len, the one that had brought her such joy in childhood, the one that made her feel safe when her mother had died. Was it wrong to feel so safe in his arms?

"Why don't we spend the day together, just like we used to?" he asked softly. "Just the two of us. No one else is in the world but us, today."

She felt a small smile forming on her face.

"Would you play music for me, again?" she asked. "Just like you used to?"

He smiled and took a seat in the grass. Miku's thoughts briefly strayed back to the site of her home and her aunt and uncle. They were probably worried sick about her.

"Miku?" Len's tone was inquisitive and held a bit of worry. It appeared she had been staring out a bit.

She returned his confusion with a smile. She couldn't fight the feeling of happiness that she felt when he told her he loved her. Calmly, she took a seat next to him, as she had done in her childhood.

He smiled back and leaned in to kiss her once more. She felt her heart flutter.

She had missed this part of him, the part that, she now realized, had loved her all along. The part of him that had looked after her, that had spent entire days singing songs to her.

He wrapped an arm around her protectively and began humming a soft song.

Perhaps, even if just a little, she had loved him, too. Perhaps she always had.

And for that, she couldn't help but feel just a little guilty.

* * *

Hey guys! Sorry that it's been so long since my last update! I've had a minor case of not being able to pay attention to anything for long, so I've been working on this chapter on and off. But I just managed to type out a good three pages (as well as figure out this ending). Thank you so much to all of you who have reviewed (and even more so to those of you who are patient with this terrible person that likes to call herself a writer). All of your encouragement is what got me to get up and finally work on this again!

In any case, I've started attending an online university to get my Creative Writing degree! Wish me luck! Now just to finish the other chapters before November (I believe that is the end of Solitaryloner's contest, if I'm not wrong). So I've got two more chapters left to write and will be putting them up before the end of the month. This is actually a huge deal for me, as it would be my first completed story! Seeing as it is my dream to become an author, it is important that I learn to finish my stories. Also, for those of you that are reading my other fic, Misunderstandings, I will be working to finish that one, next!

So yeah! Happy October, and don't forget to start welcoming in the Holiday season! If you have any questions about the story, feel free to ask them in a review! Thank you so much for reading!


	4. Love

So yeah, looks like I've missed the deadline for the story contest. Oh well. In any case, I still wanted to finish this. Mostly because I'm hoping to have a sequel (one with more action and twising plot-ness). I really hope you enjoy this story. If you guys are interested in a sequel, let me know, okay? This last chapter is dedicated to SolitaryLoner. Without her contest, I would never have gotten the drive to write this. Happy birthday, SolitaryLoner! I hope you had a wonderful time and that you get to read many wonderful stories!

Without further ado, may you enjoy the last chapter of fairy's deal. (remember, if you don't want it to, it won't end here).

* * *

She was beautiful. In every sense of the word, Miku was beautiful. Len had known that from the moment he had met her. Fairies had the ability to judge a person by who they were the instant they met them, and he had instantly fallen in love with Miku. Rather, he had fallen in love with who she was to become.

But she wasn't supposed to be attached to anyone else. He could see who she would be, but not her entire future. When he had met her, she had almost been an orphan. Though she'd had loved ones, he knew that whichever parent she had left would not last much longer. She was a child looking for escape. That was how he had found her in the first place. Once her mother died, he would give her one more night, then tell her the news that she could come live with the fairies. Len knew for a fact that she would have come with him if he had seen her that day. She was upset and needed somewhere safe. Living in the realm of the fairies was every child's dream.

To add to that, Len knew that she would have fallen in love with him when the time came. After a few centuries to reach the right age, they would have been happily wed, leaving all thoughts of her past life behind.

Then that old woman had to go and ruin it. Miku had been vulnerable at that time, and had Len not been there, she would have fallen apart. Of course Miku's grandmother had no idea that the fairy was already making plans to make her life better, but she had taken her away nonetheless.

He could hear Miku mutter about them in her sleep. Each night that she was there, she would spend hours crying herself to sleep, and even when she had reached a restful state, she would mutter about them in her sleep. She missed her old life, something that wouldn't have happened if Miku had not met them.

And he couldn't help but feel the pain of guilt whenever he saw her tears. How cruel could he be to take her away from those that made her happy? But he just couldn't let her go. They would be happy. He knew it!

It would just take some time.

All he had to do to prove that she would be happy was to look at her in this moment. She was peacefully asleep as he sang to her. She lay on her side, her teal hair scattered around her, her hand gently gripping his own. The latter she hadn't done until after she was asleep.

Len felt a small smile form on his lips at the sight of her peaceful breathing. He kept humming out his song as she slept. He remembered that it had calmed her when she was a child. It seemed to have the same effect, even now.

"Mama…" she whispered in her sleep.

Len smiled. She was so innocent, so sweet.

But, alas, the sun was setting, now. They needed to get back, lest Miku catch cold. In the future, they would be allowed to spend however long they liked, out here. But Rin would get upset if she was not back by dark.

"Miku," he shook her shoulder a bit as he whispered. "Miku, it's time to wake up."

"Uncle?" she whispered. "S'at you?"

Len stiffened.

"Miku, it's me, Len."

Her eyes shot open and stared at him for a moment. Was that… disappointment he saw there?

"Did you have a good dream?" he asked softly.

With a frown, she nodded.

"Yes," she answered. "A very good dream."

She turned her gaze away from him.

He let out a laugh, hoping she did not sense the nervousness in it.

"I'm very glad to hear it."

He stood up and reached to help her to her feet. In her drowsy state, she wouldn't be very capable of walking, now would she?

In just a few nights, they would be wed, and he wouldn't have to worry about that pesky other life hers, anymore. And she would be happier this way, wouldn't she?

"We need to get back, now. Rin will get worried."

She nodded in agreement, but stopped for a moment.

"Is something wrong?" he asked.

She shook her head.

"I'm fine," she answered. "Rin is likely awaiting our return. We should go."

He linked their arms together.

"Yes. We do need our rest, after all."

* * *

She had dreamed of her family again. This time, she had been sitting in the library with Uncle Gakupo. When she was twelve, he had discovered her love of books and had told her that she had full access to the library. She had been overjoyed.

Often, she would be reading a book late into the night, until she had fallen asleep by the fire. Uncle Gakupo was always the one that found her there. He would pick her up and carry her back to her room, even when she had grown.

And for just a moment, she had thought she was back in the security of her home, simply having a strange dream from one of the books she had read. She had even thought that Uncle Gakupo had awoken her.

She could see the hurt in Len's eyes. Was she a bad person for being angry with him? She cared for him a great deal, but he had kidnapped her.

Kidnap. Yes. She had been kidnapped, hadn't she? Funny how, in the beginning, she hadn't thought of it as such.

Somewhere, in the back of her mind, Miku thought that Len had only been joking. She was sure that he would have his fun, then they would both share a laugh. He would tell her to not break her promise to him, again, and they would be friends as always.

How naïve. She was eighteen! She had to get her head out of the clouds! You think that she would have known not to get her hopes up of him releasing her. She could have gotten away. All she would have had to do was give him a good kick and she was sure he would have been down long enough for her to run back to the safety of her home.

Yet she waited like some damsel from a folk tale, ready to be rescued by a hero. She was no princess, no naïve child. She should have been making an effort to get away, not trying to get to know her captor better.

Even if her captor was Len.

He was handsome. That was easy to see. And he was easy to get along with. She even had to admit that she had a special place in her heart for him. Had he asked her, she might have agreed to marry him.

But love wasn't just some feeling. She'd had many conversations with Aunt Luka on the matter and knew that love was so much more than an emotion. Uncle Gakupo had given up on the idea of children so that he could be with Aunt Luka. Before then, he'd always dreamed of having a family of his own. But he set aside his dreams for her.

Love was action. It was laying down your own needs and desires for those you cared about, no matter what type of love it was.

Len had just made the decision for her. He had taken her from a family that loved her and had not even allowed them to say goodbye to her. He had feelings for her, but his actions were out of selfishness, not love.

But how could she ever escape? He was with her at every moment. And if she struck him to get away, he would be back to his feet before she could reach the yard. And she would have no more opportunities to stop him. He would just drag her back to Rin's home and tell her that he was doing this because he wished to be with her.

Was she really this trapped?

"Is something the matter, Miku?"

She almost jumped at the sound of Len's voice.

"Ah! No! I'm fine."

They stood in Rin's foyer, but stopped walking. Len turned her face to look at his own and pressed his forehead to hers. She inwardly cursed herself for the heat that flew to her face.

"Hmm… No fever," he examined. He pulled away with an adorably confused expression. He looked almost child-like.

"I said I was alright," she corrected.

He shrugged then smiled.

"I just had to make sure."

With a smile, he pressed his lips to hers. Her heart gave a leap of joy. Why was it that someone who caused her such sorrow could also make her feel such joy with a simple action like this? When he pulled away, He was grinning.

"I can't very well let the woman I'm about to marry get sick, can I?"

And how could she feel so torn from that sentence?

"Miku?" he asked. She had been silent for too long.

But she couldn't bring herself to say anything. Her heart was breaking. How could she possibly love someone that was willing to tear her from her loved ones?

"Miku, what's wrong?" he questioned. The smile was wiped from his face.

She shook her head as the tears welled up in her eyes. It had finally hit her. She was in love with him. She had known that she loved him as a friend, but it hadn't struck her until this moment how deep her affections went.

"Miku, please speak to me," he begged.

She backed away as he reached out for her. She saw his expression become pained at her coldness.

"What are you two doing here? Shouldn't you come inside?"

Miku's eyes turned to look at Rin. The fairy girl looked right at Miku.

"What happened?" she questioned.

Len didn't answer her. He just proceeded to try to get Miku to look at him.

"Please, at least say something," he begged.

"Stay away from me!"

The words had slipped from her tongue before she could think. Without another word, she ran away.

* * *

Len felt as though someone had just stabbed him and twisted the knife. His first thought was to chase after her, but he was stopped when Rin caught his arm.

"Let me handle this."

He shook his head.

"I have to talk to her!"

Rin rolled her eyes.

"You'll do more harm than good, at this rate. Go home, Len. I'll find out what's upsetting her."

Knowing that it was pointless to argue with his sister, he gave a sigh and left.

Of course, he didn't much feel like just going home, either.

He wasn't sure what had made him go to watch her house. Truth be told, Len wasn't fond of most humans. Miku had been the only one of her kind that he could ever stand being around.

Despite how late it was, the entire building. He saw a woman pacing around just outside the door.

Wanting to get a closer look, he approached cautiously. Fairies had no issues with leaving the forest at night, though his particular court did not allow him to meddle with humans outside of the forest boundaries.

As he crouched in the garden, he examined the woman who was pacing. She was beautiful, even for human standards, with long, pink hair and light blue eyes. Now that he was closer he could spot a man with long, purple hair sitting not far from her.

"Luka, please just rest for a moment. You'll make yourself sick."

The woman shook her head.

"I can't rest when Miku could be hurt. What if she is trapped somewhere, or wounded. What if it's worse than that? She's been missing since yesterday!"

The man got to his feat. Len could see that, despite his calm demeanor, he was just as worried as the woman.

"We'll find her," he promised. "I won't rest until Miku is safe and happy with us."

Len stiffened. Shouldn't they have forgotten her, by now? Most humans would have given up by now and gotten on with their lives.

"It just doesn't feel right without her here with us," the woman, Luka, spoke. "Gakupo, what will we do if we never find her?"

"Do not say such things! We will find her and we will be a family, again."

So these were the people that Miku missed? They didn't look like much. All they did was throw around petty words.

Luka suddenly grabbed a handful of her skirt as her shoulders shook.

"You're right," she sniffed. "We will find her, and if anyone caused this, we can't rest until they are put behind bars."

Gakupo nodded and pressed his forehead to hers. Immediately, she stopped shaking and calmed down.

This caught Len's attention. With one simple action, that man had calmed his wife down. That was amazing.

His mind wandered back to what had occurred with Miku just earlier. He had been utterly powerless to help her when she was upset. That man had helped his wife with one action, even through his own anxieties. He had gone as far as to ignore his own pain for his wife. Was that was a husband was supposed to be?

Miku's uncle had sacrificed his own comfort for hers. A sense of guilt overwhelmed Len. Miku loved these people, and they her. He had separated them without a second thought.

He remembered her tears at Rin's home. Were they because she missed these two humans so much?

* * *

Miku was fast asleep when he carried her to the doorstep of the human home. Gently, he sat her down and leaned her against the wall. It wasn't the most comfortable position, but it would only be for a moment.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Rin questioned. "If you leave her here, you may never know how she would have felt."

Len shook his head.

"If I kept holding her against her will, I would have still lost her. I'd rather have her here and happy than have her hate me while we're married."

Rin shrugged.

Len ignored her and knelt down to place one, last kiss to the top of her head.

"I'm sorry, Miku."

He brushed the hair from her eyes and gave a sad smile.

"I've changed my price," he whispered quietly. "All I want from you is for you to always remember me."

"Len, are you ready to go?"

He stood up and nodded, hoping that Rin hadn't heard his words. It wasn't as though Miku could have heard him, in any case. He turned back to her one last time.

"Goodbye."

Rin picked up the door knocker and slammed it as hard as she could before her and her brother slipped away.

* * *

"I can't believe you let her go," Kaito chided. "Now she'll just forget you. And you'll be wifeless."

"Well what do you expect him to do?" Piko objected. "It's not like he can go out and drag her back."

The older man shrugged.

"It's not unlikely that she'll set foot in the forest again. If she does, then Len could just come up with another plan."

"You're such an idiot!"

Len ignored the bickering of his two friends as he watched her house. He was doing that a lot, lately. He would wait and watch, hoping to catch just a glimpse of her. Miku was sitting outside, today, reading a book aloud with her aunt. He could almost hear her musical voice speak.

"Come on, she'll just completely forget him and go marry some fat, ugly human!"

Piko smacked his forhead.

"Somehow I wonder what anyone sees in you."

"Just you wait and see! She'll forget him. I'll bet you she already has!"

For just a moment, Miku turned her head to stare at the forest. She gave a small smile and wave before her aunt could notice anything out of place.

Len felt himself brighten at this.

"You're wrong," he answered. "She'll never forget."

Kaito turned to look at him.

"Just what is wrong with you?"

Len smiled.

"It was a deal. And wise people don't break deals with fairies."


End file.
